Shorts question...

ckeego

Evening all..Carlsberg don't do Saturdays, but a lot of work done today! Up at 6 for a 4 hour jaunt to the hills (the joys of 4 yr old twins and training!) Was sorry not to join the big group of Boards in Dundrum, maybe next time!

Everyone very friendly despite the rain except for a very grumpy female riding up Killiney hill and a similiar Giro d Italia jersied male at Sandyford X roads...I know it's early, but it doesn't hurt to say hi, raise a finger off the bar or a pleasa:mad:nt hello

Got absolutely pi@£ed on too!!

Off to LBS to get a new bar as found a small carbon crack in the old Bonty Race X lite..

Full afternoon servicing bike, fitting bars and tape broken up with some TT action from TDF.

I got a lovely present of a new pair of Nalini bib shorts to top off the day..BUT HERE IS THE QUESTION...

The insert is real chamois...how is this best washed and kept supple as the instructions with the shorts aren't very clear..any ideas??

Any help greatly appreciated...Don't wanna ruin a great pair of shorts or even something else!!;)

doozerie

The general advice from cycling clothing manufacturers is to not use regular clothes detergent as they say it is too harsh on the various fabrics that go into cycling clothing generally and shorts in particular. From what I have read though, some people happily use regular non-bio liquid without problem. Personally, I use soap flakes (cheap and readily available from places like Tesco), or the cleaning liquid from Assos (far from cheap but it works well and smells good!). Another option may be Nikwax Tech Wash but that's not cheap either and personally I've only used it for waterproof jackets.

In the washing machine itself I keep anything with velcro, like gloves, in a separate bag to stop it from snagging on everything else during the wash. I put my kit through the "Worn Once" cycle - amongst other things this uses a slower and shorter spin to minimise stresses on the clothes. Some labels also suggest not hanging your clothes out to dry in direct sunlight, and again this advice is probably even more relevant for the chamois in shorts.

Whatever choice you make, one thing that manufacturers strongly advise against is using fabric softener/conditioner, and that warning is probably well worth heeding.

Assos also recommend applying some of their chamois cream on the chamois after you wash your shorts, to maintain its suppleness. The same advice may appear on the chamois creams of other manufacturers, I've never checked.

ckeego

Doozerie..
Many thanks for that info...I will print it off and give it to the missus!!!

Morgan

ckeego wrote: »

The insert is real chamois...how is this best washed and kept supple as the instructions with the shorts aren't very clear..any ideas??

Whoa - never wash your shorts. Modern lycra shorts and chamois are essentially self-cleaning and washing them by hand/machine will seriously degrade them. You can use a spatula to scrape off any crusted matter every now and again but otherwise just leave them alone.

papac

Morgan wrote: »

Whoa - never wash your shorts. Modern lycra shorts and chamois are essentially self-cleaning and washing them by hand/machine will seriously degrade them. You can use a spatula to scrape off any crusted matter every now and again but otherwise just leave them alone.

+1
A coating of Marmite every now and again helps too.
The yeast helps beneficial bacteria to grow apparently.
Good emergency snack on the road too.

Lumen

I just bung my gear in the wash.

ckeego

LMAO!!

A tasty road snack!! I like it...Don't get it mixed up with the Trek wholegrain bars though!!

papac

ckeego wrote: »

LMAO!!

A tasty road snack!!

I didn't say it was tasty. Thats ridiculous.
I said it would do in an emergency.